Patrick Stevens' coverage of college sports in D.C./Baltimore/Virginia, just the same as ever

Navy

01/16/2013

There aren't any surprises in Navy's 2013 football schedule, which was formally released Wednesday morning.

It is, down to dates and sites, exactly the same as what it was projected to be the program's 2012 media guide, which lists a couple years worth of future schedules. Nothing changed in the last five minutes.

Well, at least on Navy's end. The Midshipmen will face three teams with new coaches: Delaware, Western Kentucky (Bobby Petrino) and San Jose State (Rob Caragher).

Anyway, it's a schedule with five home games, six road games and one neutral-site contest (Army). Should Navy win six games, it will play in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas.

01/07/2011

As Navy prepares for the post-Ricky Dobbs era, it can look forward to a schedule without a likely top-10 opponent in 2011.

It also won't have many easy games, either.

The Midshipmen will play eight bowl teams from 2010 (plus Division I-AA finalist Delaware) as part of a 12-game schedule featuring five home games and a date with Army at FedEx Field. Win at least six, and Navy heads to the Military Bowl at RFK Stadium.

Date

Opponent

TV

2010 W-L

Sept. 3

Delaware

CBS CS

12-2

Sept. 10

at Western Kentucky

TBA

2-10

Sept. 17

at South Carolina

TBA

9-5

Oct. 1

Air Force

CBS CS

9-4

Oct. 8

Southern Mississippi

CBS CS

8-5

Oct. 15

at Rutgers

TBA

4-8

Oct. 22

East Carolina

CBS CS

6-7

Oct. 29

at Notre Dame

NBC

8-5

Nov. 5

Troy

CBS CS

8-5

Nov. 12

at Southern Methodist

TBA

7-7

Nov. 19

at San Jose State

TBA

1-12

Dec. 10

vs. Army (Landover)

CBS

7-6

TBA

Military Bowl (ACC #8)

TBA

---

There's only two bad teams on that schedule (though anyone who saw Rutgers this fall might have reason to argue that assessment), and Navy must visit both. It also isn't a schedule loaded with opponents from automatic BCS qualifying conferences (just Notre Dame, Rutgers and South Carolina).

In short, it's exactly the sort of schedule Navy should play --- challenging, but at the same time one that isn't so over the top that it isn't manageable. Even with the loss of Dobbs, there's no reason for Mids fans not to expect to see their team reach a ninth straight bowl game based on the opponents alone. For an independent left to forage for a dozen games each season, that's a sign of smart scheduling.

10/04/2010

The phone rang just once before Navy lacrosse coach Richie Meade picked it up. Just one more discussion in arguably the toughest week of the lives of those who knew Brendan Looney.

The former Navy defenseman was one of 10 U.S. service members killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan last month. His funeral is today, followed by burial at Arlington National Cemetery.

"It's hard to talk about it," Meade said.

It wasn't that Looney was Meade's first former player killed in action. Rather, it was the person lost in the process.

The oldest of three brothers, all of whom played for Navy in the last decade, was part of the Mids' 2004 team that reached the national title game.

"He was the best of the best for so many reasons in an
unassuming way," former Navy assistant John Tillman said.

Looney's younger brothers, Steve and Billy, eventually enjoyed All-America-caliber careers. Brendan, though, was a crucial component on the team that revitalized Navy's program.

"We had a great team, but there's no doubt Brendan Looney was the toughest man on that team," Meade said. "That's not to slight anybody else. There were a lot of great men on that team. But he was our Achilles. He wasn't the best player. He wasn't a lot of things, but he was who he was. That is the toughest thing to me. Somebody told me 'Brendan loved you,' and that's like elevating me. Brendan would have loved anybody who was his coach because that's who Brendan was. When you were around him, you just felt OK."

Tillman, an assistant at Navy during Looney's career who is now Maryland's head coach, remembered when Looney first started playing. He was a member of the Mids' football team when he first arrived in college, and with at least one brother on the way to Annapolis opted to begin playing lacrosse.

As a college sophomore.

Tillman said the initial returns on the field were what would be expected. But Looney's work ethic helped make everyone around him better, and he eventually worked his way into a solid player in Navy's complex defensive scheme.

"I can't see anybody doing what he did," Tillman said. "Today in lacrosse, you can't not play and pick up the game in college anymore. That's just amazing, but that's just him. He made the hard things for other people seem workable and attainable because he had drive and determination."

In the midst of his senior season, Meade and Tillman remembered how much the three brothers savored being on the field together for a single faceoff --- Billy at the X, Steve and Brendan on the wings. It was a lacrosse highlight, but not the most indicative moment of his career.

Instead, it was everyday instances, each further revealing traits that so impressed Meade as a coach and ensured Brendan Looney would thrive after leaving the academy.

That meant transferring from the Navy's intelligence community to its SEAL program --- and finishing at the top of his qualification training class.

"Brendan wasn't tough; Brendan was ferocious," Meade said. "He was a great athlete. He was mentally one of the toughest --- if not in that category of guys who are so tough you can't even describe them --- and so competitive. Brendan didn't have a choice. He was going to be a SEAL because that's as high as you can go here competitively."

But lacrosse always remained part of his life --- and kept him tied to Navy's program. During a blustery February evening earlier this year, a t-shirt-clad Looney watched the Mids play North Carolina at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

Meade offered his old player a jacket, figuring it couldn't be pleasant standing around in frigid conditions. Looney declined, offering a knowing look in the process. Meade got it: Looney would face more inhospitable things down the road, and shrug them off just like the cold.

"That's the hardest thing," Tillman said. "You see this guy who was indestructible and you knew one-on-one, no one would take that guy down. Nobody was going to stop that guy. He had this mental toughness and physical toughness and also was really smart. The only way things [could go wrong] was if he was not in control of the situation."

Meade promised that Looney would always be part of Navy's program as a standard for all players to shoot for throughout their careers. It will be a difficult ideal to match.

Or to forget. Meade held back tears several times in a half-hour discussion. He talked about practices, about Looney teaching fellow SEALs how to play lacrosse when they weren't on assignment in Afghanistan, about his former player's devotion to family.

And how the future just won't be quite the same.

"I told my wife that I don't have any bravado over this; we've got to move on, have to come to work after this, and that's all going to happen," Meade said. "But I'm never getting over this. It's not about me. The reason I'm never going to get over it --- and I'll think of him every day until I die --- is it's always difficult when somebody dies like this so early in life. What you think about is some little boy or little girl is never going to have Brendan Looney as his or her father. And he would be good. He'd be a better father than me. Those are the types of things, the immediate-impact things, you think about that make it so difficult."

10/01/2010

Maybe there were some questions about Navy's new outside linebackers entering the season. The Midshipmen had two new starters, and games against Maryland and Georgia Southern did little to provide a good read on the position.

Then came Aaron McCauley's 14-tackle performance against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 18.

It wasn't just the hits, but also the ability to get off blocks and deal with a frustrating spread offense.

"Mac played really well," defensive coordinator Buddy Green said. "I can't remember in a long time an outside backer playing any better."

Not bad for a guy confined to special teams for his first few seasons with the Mids (2-1), who visit Air Force (3-1) on Saturday.

Navy wasn't exactly hurting for outside linebackers the last few seasons. Ram Vela, Craig Schaefer and Clint Sovie all played prominent roles for the Mids, with Schaefer leading the team in sacks in 2009 and Vela finding himself in the middle of several notable plays throughout his career.

And so McCauley waited.

"The first two years, I knew my situation coming in," McCauley said. "I understood what
was going on. There were experienced guys in front of me. I said to
myself 'I'm going to learn as much as I can and then eventually when my time is here, I'm not going to let anybody down.'
I've been practicing the same stuff as the starters have been for two
years."

Maybe that wasn't fully obvious in the first couple games. Maryland didn't run outside too much, all too happy to gash the Mids up the middle in the rare instances it had the ball.

Louisiana Tech was the next major-college test, and McCauley was particularly effective. He nearly doubled his career tackle total in one game (he had 17 coming in) while providing a fundamentally sound performance.

"[He's] just playing solid football, being where he's supposed to be and making
plays," coach Ken Niumatalolo said. "Last week, Louisiana Tech tried to throw some bubble screens and
he played very physical against the blocks and he made some plays in
the backfield. He's just playing solid, playing with confidence and
playing like a veteran right now."

And that comes as no surprise to those who have watched him for more than a few games.

"He was making plays a lot of people probably thought he couldn't
make," safety Wyatt Middleton said. "That's really good. Personally, I'm not really shocked he played
that well because I know he can play and he has a great amount of
talent. He's finally getting his chance right now."

The greatest question for Niumatalolo was determining whether McCauley could translate his play from the practice field to the stadium.

Some guys can pull that off. Some can't.

McCauley, Niumatalolo said, looks exactly the same in both settings.

"Wyatt always talks about envisioning," McCauley said. "I always envision myself playing
--- a lot. I was always so excited to go out to play. Out here, you
practice on the field and want to convert it to the game. I have so much
practice and so many reps, I felt comfortable."

So comfortable, in fact, he doesn't plan on giving up his spot anytime soon.

"Playing the whole course of the game is great," McCauley said. "Having that feeling back. I love it. I love starting the game. I love finishing the game. I love it all. Having these first three games go pretty well, it's been a lot of fun."

09/28/2010

ANNAPOLIS --- Navy hasn't lost to either of its fellow major-college service academies since 2002.

The Midshipmen don't want to find out what it's like this weekend when they visit Air Force, either.

Four straight graduating classes have come through Navy without a defeat against the Falcons or Army. Navy has taken seven straight from Air Force, and eight straight against Army.

Toss in a streak of not yielding a defensive touchdown to either academy in 12 quarters (plus an overtime period), and there's plenty on the Mids' minds entering Saturday.

"They got it here before I was here," safety Wyatt Middleton said of his predecessors' ability to win and retain the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy. "I don't want to be the class
that loses it or gives it. Air Force or any of the other academies
haven't scored a touchdown on us for the past, what, 12 quarters? I'm trying to keep that going."

It won't be easy.

Air Force is 3-1, with a rout of Brigham Young and a near-upset of Oklahoma on the road to its name.

Navy, meanwhile, is 2-1. After a loss to Maryland and a sluggish defeat of Georgia Southern, the Mids defeated Louisiana Tech after stumbling at times in the first half.

Such problems will be treated harshly in Colorado Springs, where Navy has won its last three trips by a combined 16 points. Last year's game in Annapolis was decided by Joe Buckley's field goal in overtime.

Such a history of tight games has Navy on alert, particularly seniors who have a better idea than most just what the Mids will find themselves in after flying west Thursday night in preparation for an afternoon game at altitude.

"Just making sure everybody understands, because a lot of people who haven't played in that ballgame don't really understand the magnitude of the game," quarterback Ricky Dobbs said. "Emotions are going to be high on both sides of the ball because so much is on the line. As a service academy, the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy is something that you want. And being here, something you want to keep."

But there's a flip side to such thinking.

"At the same time, it's them understanding not to put themselves under too much pressure," Dobbs said. "You can put yourself into think it's too big of a game and then you go in and can't even remember your name. That's happened before. Coaches tell us that and I was a freshman and have seen it before."

Then there's the underrated aspect of any academy game: A boisterous crowd. While academies are almost universally respected, it's often a surprise in several sports (football included) to learn how intense fans (and, especially, students) can be.

"I like going to other people's stadiums and playing there, as long as
you get the win," Middleton said. "It is different. The altitude is a challenge you have to
overcome. Being in shape helps out a lot. It's a great atmosphere. It's
just like here. When you play another academy, it's always good to be the home team."

Middleton believes this is the best Air Force team he's faced in his career, and that places a great onus on Navy if it wants to maintain its 15-game streak against the academies --- easily the longest in school history.

It also makes a harrowing test for the Mids to get halfway to holding onto a cherished trophy and earning another visit to the White House.

"You can look at it like that, or you can just say you don't want to lose it," Dobbs said. "No one wants to be the team to lose the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy. There's a lot on the line."

09/23/2010

ANNAPOLIS --- An extra point is often an afterthought, especially when an effective kicker never misses one.

Of course, that means a little extra attention is paid when a rare clanked upright actually occurs.

It happened Saturday for Navy senior Joe Buckley at Louisiana Tech, snapping a run of 48 straight extra points.

Toss in a missed 32-yarder in the season opener against Maryland, and Buckley isn't quite as reliable as he was late last season, when he made nine of his last 10 field goal attempts after surrendering his job for a game to Jon Teague.

"He started slow last year a little bit and actually got replaced for a game," special teams coach Steve Johns said. "He just need to focus on his fundamentals. He got a little sloppy
last week with his upper body. I think his head came up and he really
wasn't keeping his head down and driving his left arm through. I think
once he sees the film and focuses on that the ball will come out
straighter."

Buckley is 3-for-4 on field goals this season, with makes of 37 (against Louisiana Tech) and 42 (against Georgia Southern), so he isn't completely derailed. For his career, he is 5-for-5 from beyond 40 yards and clearly a weapon as the Mids (2-1) prepare for next week's game at Air Force (2-1).

"We don't want to press him too much," coach Ken Niumatalolo said. "Just want to leave him alone and just allow him to continue doing his deal. I have confidence in him. I'm not going to press him too much."

Besides, if any opponent is going to bring back good memories for Buckley, it's Air Force.

Buckley regained his job last year in time to face the Falcons, and he made a career-high three field goals that day. Included was a 38-yarder in overtime to hand Navy a 16-13 victory. It was one of two overtime field goals for Buckley last season.

Plus, there's still three-quarters of a season to get through this year --- plenty of time to shake off a couple early misses.

"He won't be dwelling on it," Johns said. "Plus, the ball really takes off there, so he should feel confident about having plenty of leg on kicks. He'll be fine. He just needs to tighten up a little fundamentally. He had the same problem last year, tightened it up and became really solid."

09/22/2010

"No doubt," coach Ken Niumatalolo said. "We're banged up. Anytime you play three games in 13 days, we're banged up. So we need this rest. We're going to try to maximize it, try to get healed up and get ready for a big game."

It's particularly well-timed for quarterback Ricky Dobbs, who was slowed since the Sept. 6 loss to Maryland. Dobbs has three touchdown rushes and a scoring pass, but his yards per carry is down from 3.8 to 2.4. His longest run in three games is 14 yards.

Still, the Midshipmen are 2-1 as they get their first chance to get well this season.

"For Ricky, but for our whole team," Niumatalolo said. "Anybody that's playing any snaps, it's huge to get some rest. But it definitely helps with Ricky."

* This year marks the first time since 2001 Navy gets Air Force off a bye. Not that the regular rest has hurt the Midshipmen against the Falcons. Navy has won seven straight in the series.

Interestingly, Navy is 0-4 on two weeks rest against Air Force. Those losses came in 1985, 1991, 1997 and 2001.

* Niumatalolo said he was "not really sure" when reserve linebacker Brye French would return from a shoulder injury suffered Saturday at Louisiana Tech. Safety Jerad Fehr, who contributes on special teams, was lost for the year with an ACL tear.